I need your help
by The Cheshire Kat
Summary: These are four possible story ideas- pleaseread them and tell me which one you would like to see made into a full story- Thanks
1. Explanation

Hey everyone! I have four chapters I've written, and I wanted to expand one into a full story. Please read the chaps and tell me which one is the best. I really appreciate your help!  
  
Blaze  
  
(ps. I know that a lot of them say "Blaze" as one of the characters, but I can't think of names- they're not suppose to be me at all. I'm just really bad with names ^-^ ) 


	2. Chapter A

Riddick crept up the side of the wall. There were lots of grooves for him to get his hands in, so it wasn't that hard. He could see perfectly well, despite the fact that it was three in the morning. He wanted to bypass all the security- they would bring up questions that were dangerous. He no longer existed, or so the government said. He had supposedly died on that god forsaken rock 4 months ago, but he had no doubt in his mind that if they found him they'd put him back in jail. He reached the window of the building. He looked in and smiled the first real smile he'd smiled in years. He felt the emotions he had fought so long to control come to the surface. He pushed the window up and pulled himself through. He landed catlike on the floor. He straightened up and walked over to the bed. He looked at the sleeping figure and a knot twisted in his gut. He wanted to shake her awake and hold her until the sky fell. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook the sleeping figure. It groaned and rolled to away from him. He grinned. She always had been a sound sleeper. He shook her again, this time more vigorously. She moaned again but sat up. She nearly screamed when she saw the person next to her, but before she could the persons hands were on her mouth. Her eyes were wide, but if she was scared, that was the only clue. He knew that once she was awake, he stood little to no chance against her, so he started talking to her.  
  
"Please don't scream. You'll wake the whole neighborhood and then I'll be in a shit load of trouble." She looked as if she were going to throw up. He chuckled at this. She thought he was a figment of her imagination.  
  
"It's me, it really is. I'm not a dream, and I'm not a figment of your imagination. And no, you're not a skitso." He said, kind of enjoying the situation. He pulled his hands away from her and looked at her face. She looked like she was going to cry.  
  
"Go away! Why are you tormenting me?" she said. She lied back down, muttering about dreams and how Riddick's dead, and she must be going crazy. He puller her back up, a bit rudely, so that she was facing him.  
  
"I told you. I'm REAL" he emphasized the word. She looked like this had happened before. This began to make Riddick wonder about how she had been since his supposed death. It was obvious she was used to seeing him in her dreams, and he was suddenly very sorry he hadn't come back sooner. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. This obviously surprised her, but she wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel her start to tremble in his arms. He stroked her back and said things like 'It's okay' 'I'm here' and 'I'll never leave again'. Then she did something that surprised them both, something she had never done before. She let out wracking sobs that shook her whole body. He pulled her into his lap, holding her as close as possible without them being one person. He was surprised at her reaction. She had seemed so tough to him, made of stone. He realized how much he meant to her- and how much she meant to him. She squeezed her tightly and rubbed his head against hers. They sat like that for ten minutes, and soon her sobs subsided. Within five minutes of that, she was sound asleep. He smiled at her and laid her back down in the bed. He went around to the other side and got into bed himself. He pulled the covers over them both, and moved over so that he was holding her.  
  
Blaze woke up very tired, with swollen red eyes. This wasn't anything new. She had such vivid dreams of Riddick. He would come back and tell her it was someone else that kid had seen die, not him. She got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. After that she went and put the coffee on to brew. She had hacked into the military files and found not only the reports from the military, but the survivor accounts, as well. A little girl described Riddick's death in perfect detail. She had nearly had a breakdown, but she had just barely managed to save herself. She was strong, strong enough at least. She poured the black liquid into a mug and took a sip. Coffee seemed to be the only thing getting her through the days now. Her parents were caring and understanding, and did everything they could, but it wasn't enough. Nothing would help. She had lot the only man she had ever loved, and he hadn't even known that she loved him, at least not like that.  
  
Riddick woke up, happy and refreshed. It had been a long time since he'd slept in a real bed with sheets and everything. He noticed her staring out the window.  
  
"Can I have a cup?" he inquired. She stood very still and slowly turned around. She saw him and dropped the coffee cup. It shattered on the floor, spewing the black liquid onto the carpet.  
  
"You're." she stammered, trying to comprehend the situation, "but they told me.in the files.I'm going crazy!" she said, and plopped down into a chair. He got up and crossed the room in a few strides.  
  
"Like I said last night, I'm alive. They would have thrown me back in jail if they caught me." He explained. She nodded but looked sick. He chuckled and gently pushed her head down to between her knees.  
  
"Breathe slowly" he instructed. She did as she was told. She sat back up and looked at him. She took his hand and examined it, as if to make sure he was solid.  
  
"You're sure I'm not dreaming?" she asked  
  
"Pretty sure. I mean, I think, there fore I am. Since I'm thinking, I must be real." She laughed at this and he sighed. He missed the sound of her laugh. She then jumped into his arms. They sat there for a good five minutes, just being happy to be with the other. They broke the hug.  
  
"But, how? I mean, some kid said that she saw you being ripped to shreds." Riddick smiled at this.  
  
"You mean Emma. She's a real nice kid. I told her to tell everyone that I was dead. It was the easiest solution. If they caught me I would have to go back. Its just easier this way."  
  
"What really happened?" she asked. He told her the whole horrific story. She looked a little stunned at the end, but got over it quickly.  
  
"Hmmm.We need to get you some clothes and a new IPass. No one will recognize you without your fatigues anyway, so you should be okay." He laughed at this. She was always no nonsense, down to earth, hard working. She got up. She pulled off her bedclothes, which consisted of a t-shirt and shorts, and pulled on a pair of jeans and a green tank top. Over that she pulled on a black leather jacket. She jammed a pair of black Oakley's on her head. The lights were still off in the room, and when she went to turn them on, Riddick stopped her.  
  
"I have on more thing to tell you" he started. She turned and looked at him, "Come here." She did. She gasped when se saw his eyes.  
  
"Why?" she asked  
  
"I knew where I was going to be going. I didn't want anyone to be able to sneak up on me." She nodded. He pulled his glasses on. She snorted. She walked over to a chest and opened it. She pulled out a pair of sunglasses identical to hers, only bigger. She tossed them to him and he grinned  
  
"S-T-Y-L-E" he said, "Thanks"  
  
"No prob" she replied.  
  
"I'll go down and see what I can do about food, clothes, and a pass for you." With that she opened the door and left.  
  
Blaze returned with all the promised things. She dressed Riddick in jeans and a t-shirt. She had trouble finding the jeans- he was so big. After she was done with hime he loked like he had in high school- normal.  
  
They ventured into the bubbling city- full of everyone from all walks of life. They passed vendors selling delicious smelling food and they ate themselves silly. Riddick could almost forget his worries. They caught up with their lives since he had been thrown in that god forsaken hell hole. Blaze laughed and joked and soon they were back into their old rhythm. They went to the public courts and found an IPass maker. Before they reached a booth Blaze handed him a birth certificate. It featured a picture of Riddick in high school, but all the information was totally bogus.  
  
"Where did you get this" he asked, the amusement evident in his voice.  
  
"I know people" she shrugged with a smile. 


	3. Chapter B

Blaze looked around the club. It was packed, as common of a Friday night, and she looked to see if she recognized anyone. No such luck. She went to the bar and ordered a beer. She didn't feel like having a shot of anything at the moment. She enjoyed being alone, people watching. She saw someone interesting. He was 6'6", at least, and muscular. She looked at his enormous biceps. They were at least 24, maybe 26, inches in circumference she mused. He walked in like he owned the place, a little blonde Barbie hanging on his arm. The bimbo looked like she would drool any second. This made Blaze nauseous and she took another swig of beer. Girls who had nothing better to do than hang onto men was just plain pathetic. The really sad part was the guy was probably getting a really big ego boost from it to boot. She smiled wryly at herself. Maybe she could have a little fun with the pair tonight. She checked her reflection in the bar mirror. She looked okay. Her golden hair was hanging loose with a pair of sun glasses perched on her head. She was wearing a black tank top with a pair of jeans. Her belt was made of soft black leather, woven to form an intricate Celtic knot. She smiled at her reflection, a cat like but not quite coy look that would definitely make this guy take a second look. He was playing pool, and his girlfriend was watching. She sidled up to the table.  
  
"Mind if I buy in?" she asked innocently, placing 10 bucks on the table.  
  
"No. I'd hate to take money from a pretty girl like you." This made his girlfriend look up jealously.  
  
"Too bad. I hate to take money from an ox like you, but I'm going to do it just the same" she countered. She quickly racked the balls in a neat and tight fashion. He raised his eyebrows at her. She waved her hand, indicating the table. He bent low over the table and expertly hit the cue ball. It smacked into the triangle of colored balls. Two solid balls rolled neatly into the pockets. He repositioned himself and took another shot. He banked the ball, sending it toward the side pocket. It almost made it in, but bounced off the side. Blaze easily put three balls in but missed in the fourth. She cursed softly under her breath. They played this way until only the 8 ball was left. It was in the exact middle of the table, not easily accessible nor easily put into a pocket. Blaze had made her last shot, so she walked around the able, chalking her cue. She found the best spot and bent over the table. The guy she had been playing leaned over her. His breath was warm on the back of her neck. He whispered in her ear.  
  
"The names' Riddick."  
  
"Blaze. Won't your girlfriend get mad that your paying so much attention to me?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Hmm.probably." He commented but made no effort to move. Blaze swung her arm back in one smooth motion. The ball glided towards the pocket. It fell in with a satisfying "plop". She stood up, Riddick still invading her space. She leaned up to his ear, placing her hand on his chest.  
  
"Where's my ten bucks?" she whispered mysteriously. Riddick grudgingly dug into his back pocket and extracted a ten dollar bill. Blaze plucked it from his fingers, grabbed the money lying on the table, and pranced off.  
  
The next Friday night, Riddick came in alone. After the pool fiasco his girlfriend had dumped him. Needless to say he was not in a good mood. He saw the girl that had cost him his $10. She was sitting at a table, obviously flirting with two guys hanging on her every word. He smiled to himself. Pay she would. He sauntered over to the table they were sitting at. Her smile got even wider when she saw who had walked up.  
  
"Hello Riddick" she practically purred, sensing his annoyance.  
  
"Hi honey" he said. To the two guys, "you like talking to my girlfriend?" They both shook their heads and left without a backward glance.  
  
"Payback?" she grinned. It miffed him that she was so calm about him just dismissing the guys she was talking to. She shrugged, "Those two were idiots. Thanks for getting them to leave. So, I was right about your girlfriend being jealous, wasn't I?" She smirked.  
  
"How did you know?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Easy. A, you're not the type to go bar hopping stag, and B, you're mad."  
  
"Right on both accounts." She waved to a waitress. They girl came over.  
  
"How can I help you?" she asked with a smile.  
  
"You can bring me a bottle of tequila, two shot glasses, and two beers."  
  
"Coming right up." The girl said and walked away. Riddick gave her an interested but questioning look.  
  
"Tequila is the only good liquor to get plastered on. Trust me, I've done them all." The waitress returned with the order. Blaze uncorked the bottle and poured the amber liquid into the shot glasses.  
  
"Bottoms up." She saluted and downed the glass in one swig. Riddick did the same. They took a swig of beer next.  
  
"Damn that's good" she commented. They drank together for the better part of an hour, making small talk and getting to know each other. They drained the bottle easily. Blaze put her head onto the table. She gave a small groan. Seconds later, he could hear her deep and even breathing.  
  
"Christ" he muttered. He threw some cash on the table and hauled the sleeping girl to her feet. He shrugged the sleeping body over his shoulder. He marched out to his car. After pulling open the back door he laid her across the seats. He got in the front and started the car. The drive to his apartment was only about five minutes. He carried her up the stairs princess style and put her on his bed. He pulled up the covers. She pulled the covers to her chin and slept for the rest of the night. Riddick grabbed an extra blanket and settled into his big arm chair to get some sleep.  
  
The next morning Riddick woke about an hour later than he normally would have on a Saturday morning- 9:00. He checked n Blaze, noting that she was still passed out. She really needed to learn how to hold her liquor if she was going to go around and drink half a bottle of Tequila in an hour. He smirked and remembered when he had done that kind of stuff- just last week, to be exact. He had learned at a young age how to drink like a man. Riddick realized suddenly that he was slightly hung over- not good. He poured himself a huge glass of water, downed it, and did it again. He heard a low moan from the bedroom and the sounds of a person waking up- he decided to go have a little fun with her.  
  
When he walked into the room he immediately noticed something was wrong. The sheets were all knotted up now and it was obvious Blaze was sweating up a storm. He untangled her and smoothed her hair from her face. Her forehead felt hot. He set her back down and changed his clothes. He threw a pair of Oakley sunglasses over his head and went back to Blaze. He grabbed some ice and threw it into a towel and held it to her head as he carried her to his car. He laid her in the back again and hopped into the front. They sped towards the hospital, Riddick daring to push his engine to the limits.  
  
60-70-80  
  
The speedometer went up steadily, Riddick's eyes never passing over it. He was one with the car, his muscles tensing and relaxing with the shifting.  
  
80-90-100  
  
He pushed the engine to its max, eating up the semi-deserted highway. The car's liquid engine and his liquid muscles worked together.  
  
110-115-1120  
  
The engine bottomed out- he'd pushed it to the limit. He noticed a hill coming up. He was in 7th, but he needed more power to make it up. He downshifted and the engine screamed. They made it up the hill and Riddick up shifted again. He heard the wail of a police siren behind him and he slowed to a stop. The officer pulled up behind him and turned off the siren. Riddick quickly removed his sunglasses and tossed them onto the passenger seat. He rolled down his nearly limo tinted window and looked at the officer.  
  
"Did you know you were going 120 in a 50?" The officer asked, nearly stupefied. He had never seen a car go that fast that wasn't completing 500 laps in Daytona.  
  
"My friend's sick" Riddick said calmly and opened the door, his hands in view of the officer. He opened the back door and pulled Blaze out, "I need to get her to a hospital. I have no clue what's wrong" The officer nodded.  
  
"I'll give you an escort" the officer said. Riddick nodded his thanks and got back into the car. He threw his glasses back on and heard the familiar purr of the car as the engine turned over. The police cruiser, lights flashing, rocketed ahead of him. Tires squealed as he pealed out from the shoulder. 


	4. Chapter C

Note: this is after PB, Riddick's been caught and sent back to slam.  
  
At first glance Blaze looked normal. She was 25, golden hair, not fat, nor anorexic looking, and around five foot four. Her hair was braided in pigtail braids under a black bandana. The only thing that gave her away were the handcuffs holding her hands behind her back. She was marched down the hall into the court room. She sat own in the defendants seat unceremoniously. The handcuffs were removed, but the ever present guards kept her from thinking about running away. The trial began, with too much evidence to keep her out of trouble. When the verdict was read, she didn't flinch, just stared evenly at the judge with her green eyes.  
  
"Mister Foreman, have you come to a verdict?"  
  
"Yes your honor, we have"  
  
"Proceeded"  
  
"The principality of Naaroogorn finds the defendant, Illiana Hunter, guilty on all accounts" cheers went up at this announcement.  
  
"So say you one, so say you all?" the judge asked. The jurors all accented. She rose calmly from her seat and held out her arms for the shackles to be replaced. She went back to the holding cell she had been in for the past few weeks. The judge said her sentencing would be in the morning. Her real nickname, the name she called herself, was Blaze. The name the media had given her was "Ice Queen". She was emotionless, cold. She was when it came to the outside world- it hated her and she hated it. It had taken first her parents, then her brother. She was alone in the world, for all intents and purposes.  
  
Riddick paced his pitch black cell in Slam. He growled low in his throat. He was going to be here for the rest of his life. A plan started formulating in his mind- if he could just escape, he could stay out. The problem was the getting out. They kept a close watch on him- they weren't stupid. It was an honor and potential death wish to guard Richard B. Riddick. He was the highest profile con in the whole joint- no one had come even close to racking up the charges like he had. He was a bad ass- that part was true. But most of the crimes that he'd been sent away for he hadn't even committed. They'd tried to kill him dozens of times and failed- the only way to keep him silent about what he knew was to make sure he had no one to talk to. They'd racked up so many charges against him he had 5 life sentences- all to be served consecutively, not concurrently. He'd nail those bastards some day- and he'd relish it when he did.  
  
Illiana Hunter was led to Slam City in full body chains- she'd been convicted of 10 counts of murder in the first degree. They just barely relieved her of the death sentence- she was the first capitol case since the death penalty became illegal. Thank god for small favors she mused coldly to herself. She reminded herself that Slam was not a permanent, death was. She could- and would- escape from the hell hole. She felt kind of proud when a swat team met her at the prisoner loading dock. An interesting thought occurred t her- she might be the one with the worst crimes; she'd then be expected to kick everyone's ass. She sighed. She had a lot of work ahead. She began to formulate a plan to deal with the expected ass whippings. Her deft fingers relieved the nearest guard of the knife he concealed in his pocket. She smiled sweetly at him and blew him a kiss. He turned away without a word. She was unloaded and moved into her cell. In Slam, there were no women's and men's quarters. They were all put together. She imagined there wouldn't be many women in the place. Another thought, one that made her stomach crawl, occurred to her. If she were one of a handful of girls, all the guys- she stopped the though. She'd cut off their dicks before they touched her. She smiled ruefully at the though, which earned her a sharp poke in the back.  
  
"Watch it, will you? That thing hurts" she snapped to the guard. This earned her another poke. She gave the guard the finger. She found herself slammed up against the wall, with a hand over her windpipe. She realized she couldn't kick him- her legs were shackled. So she bit into his hand and wouldn't let go until she tasted blood. She cursed and backhanded her. The stars that danced in front of her eyes didn't pahse her. She hammer fisted him in the stomach. He doubled over and another guard smacked her in the face with the butt of his rifle. She cursed as the world swam before her eyes. She was roughly made to move again. They were at the cell soon and she gave the guards the finger as the cell closed. One tried to smack her again, but the metal bars stopped him. She smiled a superior smile and went to search her new home. It was bare, with only a blanket and a raised slab of hollow metal that was melted to the floor for a bed. The toilet was a hole melted into the floor with raised up edges. She sighed- not exactly the Ritz. She sat on the floor and contemplated how to get out. There were security cameras every third cell, with a guard station every 8th. She had noticed a hallway with only one cell and at least ten cameras pointed at it. That must be the big man on campus, she mused. She thought of all the possible escape routes, but could come up with none. She'd have to find someone to talk to to find out the weaknesses in the security. Someone probably knew, and she'd find them.  
  
News travels fast, even to a man in solitary confinement. There was a new girl in town- convicted of murdering 10 people. He'd have to arrange an introduction. He was let out of his cell once a week to exercise. He got one hour to stretch and eat. He liked eating with all the other cons- he got the latest news. He had a whole network of people that answered to him. He smiled- maybe he'd have a little fun with the new girl. 


	5. Chapter D

Riddick washed the rest of the soap off his naked body. He was in the military compound "Fort Nelsliph" It was not on earth, but it had a lot of military personnel. It was a halfway point between two major galaxies so it had a lot of traffic. He grabbed a towel and dried his head and wrapped it around his waist. He heard someone start yelling. Half heartedly he listened until he heard his name  
  
"Riddick! Get your sweet candy ass over here!" He was not used to being insulted and even less used to being ordered around. He walked around the lockers that separated the shower stalls and the changing room.  
  
"You rang?" he said arrogantly. He had to do a double take when he saw who had called him, "Blaze?" he questioned disbelievingly.  
  
"Who else could give you orders and not die a horrible death?" Blaze smirked. He picked her up and swung her around. She giggled and hung onto his neck. All the rest of the men (a/n: yes, Blaze is a girl in a guy's locker room) stared at the pair. Most of them had dove for cover upon seeing a girl in their locker room and were now sneaking a peek. She had shoulder blade length golden hair that was loose. She wore jeans and a green tank top and army combat boots. For anyone that cared to notice they were the special all terrain boots only the SpecOps wore. Riddick set her down and looked her over. She had gotten a lot prettier since he'd last seen her. She had given up her "punk" look for more traditional military garb. He noticed a tattoo on her wrist.  
  
"What's this?" he looked it over. It depicted a Chinese symbol surrounded by a dragon.  
  
"It means "dragon". I got in the DragSquad" she said proudly. He knew she would go and do whatever she wanted and he knew her dreams had come true.  
  
"This calls for a celebration. We'll go out to dinner tonight, my treat" she beamed at this and the two would have gone into everything they had been doing when a Captain came up.  
  
"No girlfriends in the shower room, Riddick" he said cockily even though Riddick was his superior.  
  
"Great. A policeman on a power trip" Blaze muttered.  
  
"What was that, girl." He sneered  
  
"Nothing sir, just commenting on what a dick you are." He looked like he had been slapped.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Lieutenant Blaze McGinnis. And you are?" The man quickly saluted.  
  
"Captain Jim Rice" he managed. He had just insulted a *superior officer*. He was a dead man. 


	6. Update !

Okay! I've gotten some great reviews here, and I really appreciate everyone's constructive (and even some not-so-constructive) criticism. The tally stands at:  
  
3 votes 1 vote 6 votes 5 votes  
  
So, I will now write the next chapters to C and D, and have one last round of voting. Again, thanks a lot for your help! 


	7. Chapter C 2

Warning- really, really sad with non-graphic gore  
  
That night Riddick and Blaze didn't sleep- they stayed out until the sun washed over the sand. They were lying in the sand and Blaze was curled into a little ball. Riddick looked at her and smiled. Did she know how much he loved her? It wasn't a dating love, or lust- it was something that he didn't understand. He would gladly give his life for her if she asked, and would do anything to make her smile. His eyes fastened on the horizon. They'd both be gone soon- her to her training and him to his battle ship. They were leaving in three weeks for the Lukai War- off in a far off place. The government was getting desperate and Blaze might soon join him. He was a lieutenant in the infantry/ air force. They'd combined them to get the best results. Half of his group was army and the other half was air force. He sighed. Him and his boys were going into the depths of hell. At that moment he'd had done anything for him and Blaze to stay here forever. But, he berated himself; they both had lives to lead, and sworn duties to uphold. He gently shook her, making her look sleepily up at him.  
  
"C'mon" he smiled, "We need to get you to bed." She didn't say anything; she just stood up and smiled at him. They walked to the car and Riddick wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She hugged his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
The next three weeks were too short for both Blaze and Riddick. They hated the moment when they would get on their ships. There was a more than good possibility that they might never see each other again. The dreaded moment came too soon and Blaze found herself blinking back tears as she saw Riddick's battle ship fly away. She ran to her own transport and sat numbly. She missed him more than she'd counted on. She kept seeing his face in her mind, and ekpt wanting to reach out and touch him. She mocked herself in her mind and threw headphones on and let the punk rock invade her mind.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *  
  
Location: Somewhere in the Lukai Cluster  
  
Riddick ducked his head as a flash of blue light zinged over his head. His platoon was deep in the jungle somewhere. The planet was small and foul smelling. Riddick could swear he detected the small of brimstone sometimes. He urged his men on silently, trying to infiltrate the base that was under attack. The ambush took all of the troops by surprise. They were all taken- even Riddick. They were jailed in a large room. They all got to see their friends tortured. The screams pierced every moment of every day. He saw some of his best friends succumb to pain. They all died. They left Riddick for last, and Riddick was pissed. They'd killed his best friends- his brothers. He never uttered a word as the knives pierces his skin. He internalized the pain and soon his mind went numb. They cut him up badly and dumped his half conscience body into a ditch. He spent three months hiding in the forest until peace had been declared. He found some soldiers and spent a further three months in a hospital. His body was a wreck. He ceased to care, and only thought of finding Blaze. It was all that mattered to him. 


	8. Chapter D 2

Illiana let her eyes get used to the dark. She realized that she was going to be screwed once she was let into the general population. A more immediate problem, though, was what to do with the stolen dagger she had. She had to keep it on her body at all times- she knew that the guards probably checked all the cells during mealtimes. She tucked the knife into her boots and went back to contemplating how she was going to see. The lights were turned off most of the time, confusing the inmates' sense of time. There was no way to tell if it was midnight or noon. Illiana sighed and laid down. Her dreams were riddled with shadows and monsters, chasing her through a midnight forest.  
  
The next day, or what she assumed was the next day, came faster than Illiana cared for. A guard rapped on her cell.  
  
"Sorry. I'm in no state for visitors right now- if you leave a message I'll get back to you" The guard just knocked again. He shined a flashlight into Illiana's dilated eyes, which made her squint.  
  
"Mealtime" was his curt reply. She winced and got to her feet. The sound of cell doors opening was heard; the grating of metal on metal. She noticed that she was the only one with a personal body guard. She chuckled and walked on, not looking at any of the other inmates, keeping her eyes forward but not staring. She found a seat and ate in silence- she really didn't fell like making nice with a bunch of cons. She was done first and led to an open courtyard. From the "food" they had served- eggs and ham- she assumed it was morning. The courtyard was a big metal dome. It was big enough for a basketball court and of set of weights, plus room for all the people to just mill about. Illiana walked over to the machine and began to lift weights. The unmistakable sound of humans was heard and Illiana cringed inside- here we go. She continued with her reps, the sweat starting to glisten on her forehead. All of a sudden the din quieted until the only sound was of Illiana's slightly labored breathing.  
  
*Riddick laughed to himself- the new girl was using *his* weights. It took brass balls or a thick head to just start using something in Slam without checking whose it is. She continued to do bicep lifts even though it was dead quiet- another ballsy move. Riddick sauntered up and stood silently in front of the girl. When she still didn't look up, he voiced his opinion.  
  
"You know, those are mine" She paused, looked at him, and turned the dumbbell over.  
  
"Actually, it says 'Property of S.L.A.M. Correctional Facility'" she went back to doing her curls. He laughed to himself- definitely brass ones, and big.  
  
"You don't understand- on Mondays they're mine" She paused again.  
  
"Give me a break- I just had the world's crappiest flight. It was 28 hours of mostly standing. I've been shackled for the better part of 6 months, and I'm in a really bad mood. Now, be a good boy and run along" There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Riddick said no more, he just picked her up and threw her. She landed hard and the dumbbells went flying. She grunted and turned to look at him from the floor.  
  
"You never learned to share as a child, did you?" She asked.  
  
"No" was his only response. What took him by surprise was when she slammed her legs into his ankles. He nearly lost his balance and Illiana took this chance and got to her feet. The look he gave her was one meant to wither her and make her cringe. She just laughed.  
  
"Am I supposed to be scared yet?" He snorted and moved to circle around her. She stayed in place, letting him move so he was behind her.  
  
"Only a coward would attack from behind." He moved to face her again.  
  
"You know, had you played your cards right you could have had a real comfortable life here." This time she snorted.  
  
"As what, your bitch? No thanks" His hands shot out and grabbed her wrists. She tried to struggle but it was no use.  
  
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Forced or not, It'd be fun"  
  
The word "bastard" screamed in her head. Her pulse quickened and she did the only thing she could think of. Her mouth met his, and her toung snaked around his mouth. He was shocked for a split second, and in that split second he released her hands. He didn't see the right hook that smashed into his jaw, and was shocked when he stumbled back.  
  
"Forced or not, you're *my* bitch" she smiled triumphantly. The guards, sensing the disturbance, flooded the area. Soon both she and Riddick were in handcuffs, being led back to their cells.  
  
Riddick was beating himself up for that mistake- he let his guard down for a goddamn second, and she had known it. Stupid, calculating bitch. He hissed under his breath. She'd have to pay for this. He'd seen wars before- they were ugly. With the prison divided in half, no one was safe. Riddick snorted. Safe? In Slam? The bottom line was, he had to reestablish his supremacy. He had to. 


	9. New News

Hey everyone!! Wow, so many reviews while I've been away! I loved them all, so thanx a lot. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I just got my Internet back, so expect LOADS more stuff on all my stories (I promise to try to come up w/ a new chapter for each).  
  
Anyway, tootles all you wonderful people!  
  
Blaze 


	10. You asked for it and here it is!

Riddick paced his cell and was all but growling. His once a week privilege had been revoked until further notice. Shit! He growled low in his throat and slammed his fist into the wall. The metal cell reverberated with the echo and Riddick could feel the metal groaning. He wondered where she was right now...  
  
Illiana was thrown to the ground kicking and screaming. The heavy metal door was shut behind the guards, taking all the light with them. They had decided to throw her in the hole for a few days- at least she hoped it was a few days. She sighed and sat on the ground, her back against the wall. Raging and screaming wasn't going to help here. They'd just laugh and leave her in there longer. The guards could be just as sadistic as the inmates. Well, Illiana mused, they'd have to be to keep this jail in order. Raging and screaming wasn't going to help here. They'd just laugh and leave her in there longer. The guards could be just as sadistic as the inmates. Well, Illiana mused, they'd have to be to keep this jail in order. She smiled ironically and closer her eyes. She laid herself down and slept. Over the next week Illiana slept for most of the time. There wasn't much else to do and thinking took more energy than she wanted to exert at this point. When Illiana wasn't sleeping, she thought of old songs she had heard. She tried to come up with a good memory for each song she could think of. She had reached 122 when the huge door swung open and the two guards unceremoniously hauled her to her feet. She followed without complaint. She noticed that one of them looked more innocent than any of the others. He was younger, and was probably just starting his four year stint on this godforsaken rock.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked him, which earned her a sharp elbow in the ribs from the other guard.  
  
"I'm just trying to be friendly, Kolinsky" she retorted to the older guard.  
  
"You look like your barely 18, kid. Why'd you choose to come to this little niche of hell?"  
  
The young guard never answered her, but she saw his eyes flicker over to her a couple of times. This gave her hope. Maybe he'd talk to her soon, with none of the other guards there, and would tell her what she needed to know.  
  
It was a long time before Riddick was let back into the general population. He loved it when everyone fell silent and stared at him when he walked in, escorted by four guards. He walked to his seat and sat down, his tray slid in front of him. He started to eat and waited until the guards had retreated before speaking. He looked at his fellow inmates.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked, his glasses glinting as they covered his quicksilver eyes.  
  
"She was in the hole for a week and a half. She's..." the man trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. Riddick knew where she was and laughed to himself. The girl had moxy. Riddick ate all his food and stood up. The guards came over and walked him to the court yard. The question was: Would the guards stay away if he and the bitch got into it? He judged they might, but if she were in serious danger they'd step in, idiotic imbeciles. He walked in to see Illiana sitting with her back against the glass dome that separated the inmates from the crushing blackness of space. Sweat glistened on her brow that Riddick was not stupid enough to attribute to her fear of him. The weights were all in order- except for one dumbbell. It was on the ground, left carelessly. Or, Riddick amended, carefully. She didn't look at him, but looked at her nails. She picked some imaginary dirt from under one of the aforementioned nails and smirked. Riddick strode over to Illiana and picked her up. She didn't utter a sound as Riddick threw her as far as possible. She did a graceful backflip and landed easily on her feet.  
  
Illiana could feel the adrenaline coursing through her syetem. It was sheer luck that she had landed the way she did. Riddick looked shocked, which gave her immense satisfaction. She arched one of her slim eyebrows. The message was clear: Is that the best you can do? Riddick circled her. She let him get behind her.  
  
"Only a coward attacks from beind" she mettered  
  
"No- someone whose very smart attacks from behind" he corrected in a low tone.  
  
The only thing that saved Illiana from his next assault was the fact that she heard the whoosh of air a split second before he attacked again. He tried to get his arms around her waist, but she ducked just in time. Her leg shot out and she spun around. What she didn't calculate on was him landing on top of her. He used the advantage of his weight to pin her. She kneed him in the groin, which didn't seem to phase him all that much.  
  
"Wow" she whispered, "you just confirmed my theory that you're dickless"  
  
He yanked her arms above her head, sending pain shooting through her shoulders. She slipped her smaller hands around of his huge meathooks and slammed her fists on his ears. This momentarily stunned him and before Illiana got up she could see blood trickling from his ears. The guards chose that moment to cuff Iliana and drag Riddick to the infirmary.  
  
"Riddick!" she called as they were being dragged away, "Forced or not."  
  
She smirked all the way to her cell. 


	11. Who, Besides Riddick, wants her dead?

Iliana didn't get sent to the hole again- the kid had spoken up for her, and told the warden she had just been defending herself.  Riddick spent three days in the infirmary- two to get the bleeding to stop and one to observe him.  He enjoyed the rest, but cursed the fact that his ears were still sensitive.  If she realized this, she'd box his ear again and there was a good chance he'd lose his hearing permanently if she did.  He didn't mind the pain- his mind was numb to it by now- but he would miss his hearing.  It had proven to be his best weapon.  He put his overactive but underused mind to work on solving this current problem- avoid confrontation with Iliana without making himself look like a pussy.  Scene after scene played in his mind, but at the end of the three days he still didn't have an answer.  He thanked whatever god it was that watched over miserable murdering fucks like him that he still had four days to figure out the answer to his problem before he would be released into the general population.  

Riddick sighed for what seemed like the ten billionth time that day.  He now was at three hours and counting before lunch and was no closer than he had been a week ago.  He finally decided to give it up- what would happen would happen.  He was a little slower in eating lunch that day, but not so much that anyone noticed.  He rose again and scanned the room for Iliana.  He had deliberately not asked about her, as to do so would be a sigh of weakness.  Besides- his men would have made casual reference to her if anything important had happened.  He walked out into the dome and let his eyes scan the area.  One benefit of wearing goggles was that no one knew what he was looking at- it scared the shit out of people, too.  He saw that she was no where to be found.  He went back in on the pretext of talking to one of this buddies and scanned the lunch room.  Not here either.  Had she punked out? He wanted to think so, but he knew it was unlikely.  He made a mental note to walk by her cell on the way back to his before going to life weights- which were all perfectly in order.  

More than a week went by with no word of the young firebrand's whereabouts.  Riddick chanced making some inquiries under the table and found his communication lines dry- no one knew where she was.  Correction, Riddick thought, no one was _telling_ him where she was.  

Iliana huddled on the floor of her cold metal cell, closing her eyes and trying to ward off the pain that threatened to engulf her system.  She could feel her own blood, warm and sticky, soaking her clothes.  She was bleeding from a long gash on her abdomen and one from her upper arm.  She felt the nausea come again and fought the darkness at the corners of her vision.  She groaned as she forced her body to move and grabbed the blanket she knew was somewhere on the floor.  She tore it with the last of her strength, knowing that she would die from blood loss if she didn't stop the bleeding.  A painful gasp escaped her lips as she tightened the blanket around her lower half, the darkness creeping further and further.  She gave herself a second to rest, gulping air like a fish out of water, before sealing her arm.  She collapsed on the floor, not caring if she lived or died anymore, so long as the pain went away.  

Riddick's eyes flashed as he pulled his goggles from his eyes and placed them on top of his shaved head.  He glanced at the girl's cell as they passed and his gut twitched when he saw her figure lying prone on the floor.  He remained silent as they walked passed, and looked at the guards as the cell closed.  One of the guards, Grunters, helped him out from time to time, provided he could pay for it.  He knew for a price he could have his unwavering loyalty.

"Check cell 112.  Help her- I'll make it worth your while" he said cryptically and turned to walk farther into his cell.  He heard Grunters leave and hoped he took his advice.

Illiana flinched as a flashlight was shined in her eyes, her headache unbelievable.  Much to her amazement, she was lifted gently off the floor and carried.  She recognized the smell of the infirmary and silently thanked whatever force had saved her.  

"Who did this?" the doctor asked, who had a warped sense of right and wrong- which was more than most workers here had.  

"Dunno.  Just found her like that" Grunters lied.  He wondered why the fuck Riddick wanted to save her- weren't they sending each other to the infirmary every week?  Grunters didn't care so long as he got paid.    He left the broken and still bleeding girl to the doctors and went to collect his payment.  

"Riddick- she's in the infirmary" he said lowly, so only he and the inmate could hear the conversation.  A box appeared between the bars of the door and Grunters opened it.  It was a shining emerald necklace.  Beautiful and priceless.

"Holy shit" Grunters said lowly, "How'd you get something like this in here?"

"I know a guy" Riddick stated and turned from the guard.  Grunters looked at the exquisite piece of jewelry once more  before closing the box and putting it in his pocket.

Riddick had no fucking clue why he gave a shit about the girl- she was a pain in his ass and it would be a relief if she were gone.  His gut twisted again when he realized that who ever had attacked her was a guard- and one that wanted her gone.    Inquiries weren't generally made into the death of an inmate unless the person was attacked where there were witnesses.  Iliana had been attacked alone, so no one would care.  

The doctor began to cut away the clothes caked in dry blood.  He stitched up the stomach wound carefully; wanting to making sure the stitches would last.  The arm wasn't as deep, a flesh wound, but he stitched it up anyway.  He sponged down the barely breathing girl and replaced her clothed with slam issued sweats.  He put an IV into her pale arm and ran a saline drip, praying he wouldn't need to do any more.  He had limited medical supplies and if she suddenly turned south more likely that not she would die.  

Iliana woke groggily from her blood loss sleep, shielding her eyes form the harsh light.  She felt better then she had in days but she still felt like shit.  The pain in her abdomen wasn't as bad, and she felt along the sweatshirt, tracing the stitches below it.  Her arm was okay too, lying at her side, tucked warmly by her body.  She sighed and closed her eyes, for the first time not afraid to go to sleep for fear of not waking up.  

Iliana spent the next three weeks in the doctor's care, rehabilitating her arm.  She figured it was just an excuse, which it was.  The doctor was truly being a saint by Slam's standards.  She would be easy prey for the other inmates in her present state.  She held out her hand to the doctor before she left, and he shook it.  Iliana's stomach muscles contracted, a painful thing, when she saw her cell.  It was clean but she could still freshly remember the attack.  She paused at the entrance and the guard, the kid she had talked to all those weeks ago, nudged her gently.

"Don't worry- I'll protect you" he whispered.  Iliana walked into the cell and tried not to wince as it closed.  She turned and looked at the young guard and nodded her thanks.  He turned on his heel and walked away.   


	12. What the Hell is he getting at?

Illiana smirked as Kolinsky slid open her cell door the next day. 

"Long time no see" she said conversationally.  She knew it had been a guard that had attacked her, and for now everyone was suspect.  The doctor had slipped her knife back into her boot before she left yesterday, an act that very well might save her life.   

"Have a nice vacation?" he asked neutrally.

"Well, you know the Camens are always crowded his time of year- but it wasn't bad" she said lightly, masking more serious thoughts.  

They walked the rest of the way in silence, getting long low whistles from inmates as they viewed the red eight-inch scar that trailed across her right bicep.  She ate in silence, too, not interested in trading sadistic banter with whomever was at her table.  She noticed Riddick's gaze flicker over her, but he hadn't looked at her since.  She finished and made her way to the dome, alone in the protective bubble.  She sighed and leaned against it, wishing to just float away and forget everything.  

She felt more than anything else Riddick's presence when he emerged from the cafeteria.  Her eyes were closed, but Riddick knew she was tracking each of his movements.  Her deliberately stayed away form her, letting it known he didn't have a problem with her- yet.   She stayed in her seeming sleep state as Riddick pumped iron, the sweat glistening on his toned body.  Everyone was in the dome by now, and all waited in anticipation for Illiana to open her eyes.  Riddick also waited for the girl to do something.  His countenance, however, was a carefully crafted mask of indifference.  He finished his work out and all waited to see if Illiana had finally bowed to Riddick.  She didn't move, just kept on sitting where she was.  This was a non answer- she was neither accepting or challenging Riddick's authority.  Riddick talked with some of his associates, making business arrangements and such.  He controlled what came in and out of Slam for the inmates- every request had to come through him.  As such, he was busy a great deal of the time.  

Everyone's attention once again turned to Illiana when she stood up.  She ignored everyone and walked back to her cell.  She laid on her bed, the best vantage point, and waited for the attacker to take this blatant invitation.  Illiana heard footsteps, measured and calm, come down the hallway. She was more than a little surprised to see Riddick framed in her doorway a minute later.  The knife automatically went in front of her, and she tossed it around in her hands carelessly.  The blade glinted in the low light, and Riddick was not stupid enough to think he could get it from her.  Instead he walked in and sat down.

"You know, you really are a pain in my ass" he said lowly, looking at her with an even gaze.

"Same goes" she replied evenly, not sure why the hell this personification of evil was sitting in her cell.  

"Any idea who attacked you?" he asked, moving his goggles from his eyes to his head.  

"A guard" she answered, shrugging.

"No shit, but which one?"

"Not a clue" she admitted, "and why do you care?"

"Because- a war with the guards is more costly and a bigger pain than a war with an inmate"

"What war?" she asked, seeing how tired he was.

"Wars occasionally break out.  The prison will become divided.  You either have two inmates fighting, or an inmate and a guard.  In the case of the two inmates, the whole prison is broken up into two sections- those loyal to one or the other.  In the case of the guards, its guards against inmates.  You've manages to bring this prison to the brink of both, and its my job to make sure neither happens."

"Why?  What's it to you?"

"Business is better when things are calm- I make more money."

"Ah, always the philanthropist" she chuckled, "No wonder you didn't try to eliminate me"

"So you see, this guard needs to be dealt with quickly and efficiently."

"I concur," she replied, suddenly wary again, "and what are you getting at?"

"You'll see," he answered cryptically.


	13. Hey All

Hey everyone!! I am SO sorry I haven't updated in, like, forever, but school got me swamped and I was working all summer. I'm in college now (finally! No more APPLICATIONS!!) Anyway, this is just a little note to tell everyone to look out for more of their favorite fics coming soon (My writer's block is also gone, so my stuff won't suck anymore. Yea!!) Thank you all so much for leaving reviews even though I haven't updates in a while. Luv ya!

The one and only Cheshrie Charlie


	14. Details

Illiana had decided to trust Riddick for the time being- but only insofar as she had to. If he could take care of the bastard that attacked her, and it saved her the trouble of getting her hands dirty, why not? They had talked for about ten minutes that day, running over the basics.

"Stand up" he commanded.

"Fuck you" she muttered. He growled.

"I just want to see the stitches" he muttered. Without a word Illiana stood and lifted up her shirt. The twelve inch gash snaked its way along her abdomen horizontally, mended with tiny and precise stitches.

"Shit" Riddick swore darkly.

"Yeah, and it hurts like a bitch, too." Illiana said with out a trace of emotion and sat down. Riddick turned on his heel and headed for her cell door.

"Be careful. Don't stay in here alone if you can help it"

"Screw that" she waved her hand, "I want a chance to kill the bastard that did this to me"

"What if he brings friends this time?" Riddick mused, "Just don't do anything stupid"

"So why don't you just stay and babysit me if you're so worried?" she tossed sarcasticly.

"Is that an invitation?" he asked, his eyes snaking over her lithe body. She hated the way he looked at her, making her feel like her only worth was as some man's bitch. Fuck that.

"Screw you Riddick, now get out of my cell" she growled, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"You know you'd like it"

"You know I'd rather die. Literally. Now OUT!" she almost screamed the last part. He shrugged and left the cell, a guard appearing out of nowhere to escort him to his cell.


End file.
